Warrington states that every carpet cleaner who has been in business for more than a week has at least one story about an accident, miscue or disaster that could have been avoided.

He notes that when your equipment is down, you are not making money. Yet, one of the most preventable catastrophes is unexpected equipment failure.

Warrington adds that inexpensive tools, such as corner guards and door jamb savers, drop cloths and devices to prevent damage when moving furniture, can save big repair bills ranging from scratched walls and baseboards to gouges in flooring.

According to Warrington, both the appearance of your vehicle and the conduct of your staff, whether on the jobsite, driving a company vehicle or taking a lunch break while wearing the company uniform, are projecting an image that greatly affects the market''s perception of your business.